Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Thinking about Spring
It’s been a rough winter here in the Mid-Atlantic region. We haven’t seen bare ground since December, and temperatures at night remain in the 20’s. This is nothing for many areas of the US and Canada, but for us in Virginia the snowfall has broken all records, and frankly, we’re weary of icy roads and snowdrifts covering the sidewalks. Public schools were closed for almost two weeks, while working parents scrambled for child care.
I’m an outdoor person at heart, and enjoy daily walks, and dinner on our deck overlooking the meadow and creek. I also love to grow flowers, and last year at this time the early daffodils were showing green shoots at the edge of the woods. My ambitious gardening friends are placing their seed and plant order. Here at Newswise we’re planning the Spring theme wire, which will be distributed on February 26. Here’s a recent comment from a reporter about our theme wires:
I am a weekly newspaper editor who has had access to your service for a couple of years now, and I want you to know a couple of things.
First, you provide a real service to those of us out in the hinterlands who don’t have reporters available (here, it’s just me) to track down some of these stories using the local community as sources.
Second, it is difficult to use even some of your material because my space requirements are mainly reserved for local material. But the heart month selection of stories I have just now reviewed is excellent, and I do try to take a considered look at what you are providing.
As far as I am concerned, your service is an important source of information that would be of benefit to any newspaper, and I thank you for what you do.
Are you also thinking about spring? Send us your spring themed feature pitches and experts. Past topics have included Spring Break, Mothers Day, Gardening, Tax Time (ugh), Daylight Savings Time, Outdoor Activities, and Seasonal Allergies. Here are some examples:
http://www.newswise.com/articles/channels?channel=2
Cheers for spring. It can’t come soon enough.
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